The Trail VS. the River, Beating the Heat With a New Hobby

I can hardly believe how fast the summer is flying by and not to mention it's been scorching hot, and the Asheville area has been experiencing code orange and red air quality warnings for weeks. This is the time of the year my obsessive hiking tendencies come to a screeching halt and I find myself feeling lazy, heavy and lacking energy. I'm constantly purging the house and dog of ticks and I hardly know a day without suffering from the burning itch of chigger bites. The vegetation upkeep on our 3.2 acres is a bitch and it would be nice if the gully washing rains would stop eroding our drive way.

I'm sure it's coming across like I don't like summer and that's not true, but I'm experiencing summer in a new place and am learning how to adapt with the climate. It's hot, humid and the air is thick. For a hiker like me who enioys long hard slogs up mountains, it's hard on the lungs, I run the risk of over heating and with time, web walking begins driving me crazy. One of the reasons I love being in the woods is because I let my mind and feet go and try to clear my mind of thought. Hiking in the summer takes constant thinking and I always seem to be distracted with some form of discomfort or annoyance. And snakes are everywhere, nasty Copper Heads.



So I change my ways for a while. No big deal. Instead of long hikes I stay close to our home hiking in the Cove. I also enjoy doing sunset night hikes off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The cooler evening temperatures and higher elevations make for comfortable hiking and who can beat a sunset overlooking the Blue Ridge? Night hikes also add a sense of adventure. As the environment around you changes, light, sound and feeling, your senses become heightened in ways most people rarely experience. It creates this new primal sense that I love!

Although I adore the mountains and the sense of solidarity the trail creates for me, I've found myself being reconnected with a childhood love, paddling. And I'm not referring to epic whitewater. I'm no where near that, in fact, I don't think there is anything that intimidates me more than swift moving water and looming rocks I can't see. I like the endurance of paddle strokes on a quiet river or lake where I can loose my train of thought. Again, trying to take thinking out of the equation. Now, that doesn't mean I'm going to avoid whitewater, rather, I'm going to approach the sport from the safest manner I can. I'm going to take lessons and take my time with it.

Ryan has also been enjoying the water. The poor guy yearns to be hurling himself down a steep ass mountain on a downhill bike. It's part of who he is, but regretfully finances don't allow for us to buy him a bike nor have travel expenses to go where he wants. I'm beginning to wonder, did we find Ryan a downhill alternative?

On July 4th we went to Ledges on the French Broad with our friends Melissa and Derek, owners of Asheville Adventure Rentals. Derek gave Ryan and I some basic white water instruction, while Melissa did on water techniques to give us a visual. I felt ready, I was going to do this! Determined to paddle across the current to a near by eddy, Derek pulled my boat into the current and away I went, the wrong way, nose of the boat pointing down stream, going where it pleased. Ryan laughed and followed me eagerly, following a similar outcome. I was a bit shocked and doubtful of what I was doing, but Ryan had a shit eating grin from ear to ear.

We continued to ride the current down river finally arriving at Shit Hole. I lined up my course perfectly and hit the small hydrolic with authority! Yes! I made it! But wait, Melissa called me back up river and told me now it was time to play. Play? She pointed to Shit Hole and told me get in there! Wow, not what I was expecting. I've seen experienced paddlers do this and they seem to have a great time, but I'm not them. So I hung behind the pack, staying in my little eddy in the middle of the river and watched one by one, everyone take their turn. Even Ryan  got in there and rode the wave and till eventually "eating shit" and loosing his glasses.

Now for my turn. I rode in feeling slight hesitation, but I wasn't going cop out. I approached the wave, getting my nose of the boat right in it and all I saw was a massive wave of water that wanted to eat me. The boat then turned sideways and several times water filled the up boat, but I fought the urge of getting dumped. Then it happened. I got swallowed. I Whacked my elbow on the rocks below, hit the boat with my head when trying to come up to surface and when I did make it up, my helmet was so far over my forehead I could see nothing. When I swam I went no where and poor Melissa had to chase my boat down and encouraged me with smiles that I did awesome. It felt like a royal mess but at least I still had my freaking paddle in hand!

I was relieved to get back my boat and even had the intention to go back in for more, but as I paddled I noticed a searing sharp pain that began at my right index finger that traveled all the way up my arm and into my back. I took a few more strokes seeing if it would work its self out, but it only got worse. Really? I had two choices, get back out there and ignore my problem, or take the warning pain, play it safe and call it a day. I watched Ryan go back in for more and more and I go in once, get a little worked and quit? Yep, that's what I did and I'm o.k with that. Besides, if I go off and hurt myself because my Ego has to prove my bad ass status, then that would put a hell of a damper on the rest of the summer. Not a long term risk this beginner is willing to take.

 Ryan and I have since spent more time on the water together. Yesterday we did an all day flat water paddle up the Green River and explored Lake Adger. We ate an awesome picnic lunch while lazily floating down the shade covered river and found a great jumping rock to play at in the lake. It was a date on the water and I couldn't think of a single thing that could have made it better.

I'm grateful for this new addition in our life. It's much needed at a critical time. Getting on the water is a great way to beat the heat, meet a new community of friends and it's an activity Ryan and I enjoy together. I can also foresee it challenging me and making me face insecurities I would never otherwise address. Although I admire my ability to achieve a quiet mind, the Yogi in me needs to remember there is always room to shake things up for a bit.